Dengeki Sentai Changeman (Laura Clarke's Version)
is the 9th series of the Super Sentai series. It aired from February 2, 1985 to February 22, 1986, running for 55 episodes. This Sentai is based on European mythological animals. Changeman was released in South Korea as ''Lightning Squadron Changeman'' (전격전대 체인지맨 Jeongyeog Jeondae Cheinjimaen). Production The success of Choudenshi Bioman had exceeded Toei's expectations with its popularity and sales and the follow-up season was to continue with this trend. However, the companies involved believed that they were aiming for too "mature" an audience with the work with many of it's experimental aspects, such as no "monsters of the week" or giant growths. Hoping to recapture the younger audiences, many of the typical Sentai tropes would return with this season, with a more "traditional" villain squadron by way of the Star League Gozma, while creating a Sentai squad who was based on the Japanese Self-Defense Forces as the heroes by way of the Earth Defense Force the team associates with while keeping an element of "youth" for the squad. However in order to keep much of the interest of the older audience, the element of the villains was expanded as to not just make them one "united organization of evil", creating a dramatic approach where the Gozma were treated as invaders who came to Earth due to unavoidable circumstances, allowing for the creation of drama which would allow for a better blend of aspects to interest both younger and older Sentai viewers. As new gimmicks, elements of the supernatural were added in by associating fantastic creatures with the powers of this Sentai team, as well as the first shell-based bazooka cannon finisher. In regards to toys, the Super Sentai franchise had to work with the Metal Heroes franchise to keep up the interest in their audience in purchasing their items, particularly with the male audience turning in the mid 80s to new items of entertainment such as home video game systems. Of particular note with this season was it's airing of 55 episodes, making it the second longest Super Sentai after Gorenger. It was originally scheduled to end in January at 51 episodes, but a delay in the early filming of ''Changeman'''s follow-up lead to the addition of four extra episodes at the end of the story. Plot After already conquering hundreds of planets, the Great Star League Gozma sets its sights onto Earth. To defend the lands in such a great crisis, the military begins a special branch known as the '''Earth Defense Force, comprised of elite members from all areas of the military. Under the supervision of Commander Ibuki, the numerous gathered soldiers of the Earth Defense Force begin a harsh training. As their first action, the Gozma decide to eliminate those who pose the greatest risk of interfering with their invasion — the military. After a particularly brutal day of training, the Earth Defense Force are fed up with Ibuki's cruel ways and abandon the training session. Soon afterwards they're met with an attack by numerous Gozma troops. Five surviving officers gather together, beaten and exhausted, but refusing to step down from this threat. Just then, the earth shakes and it empowers the five with the Earth Force, enabling them to possess the power of mythological beasts. With the mystical power of the Earth Force and the technology of the military, the Changeman begin their war against Gozma. Characters Changemen Allies *Earth Defense Force **Supreme Commander Johnson (5) **General Honda (5, 36) **Doctor Togo (26) **Dengeki Squadron ***Commander Yui Ibuki ***Captain Inogoro (3) ***Officer Suzuki ***Officer Shouji ***Officer Watanabe ***Officer Nomoto ***Officer Kikuchi ***Juken Sentai Ohninger *All Super Sentai Aliens The Changemen meet other aliens who end up on Earth, both good and evil, because of Gozma. Alien Allies *Nana *Sakura (16, 55) *Zoorii (27, 47 & 49-55) **Kukku (51 - 55) *Waraji (27, 47 & 49-55) Booba Pirates *Gigara (29) *Jill (48) *Bubuka (48) Other Aliens *Taro (7) *Koko and Kiki (11) *Shinpei Mizuhara (23) *Aira (45) Great Star League Gozma * Star King Bazeu * General Giluke * Adjutant Booba * Adjutant Shiima ** Uba (4, 12, 46 & 49) * Doctor Kumazawa (13 & 14) * Queen Ahames (17-53) ** Jangeran (32-50) *** Jan (50) *** Geran (50 & 51) ** Ahames's Space Beast Trio (32-36) *** Gizan (32-36) *** Jella (32-35) *** Davon (32-34) * Navigator Gator * Gyodai * Volta (21) * Icarus (41) ** Bola (41) * Great Star League Gozma Mechanics ** Mothership Gozmard ** Gozma Pod ** Gozma Fighters * Hidrer Soldiers * Space Beast Warriors **Gabu (1) **Gomu (2) **Zobi (3) **Picara (5) **Kamira (Movie 1) **Marzo (6) **Demost (7) **Dokyura (8) **Ooz (9) **Haust (10) **Ghost (11) **Bamba (12) **Ballas (13 & 14) **Rogan (15) **Gaubar (16) **Gilba (17 & 18) **Jeeg (19) **Seala (20) **Miralca (22) **Zela (23) **Dodon (Movie 2) **Kiga (24) **Zonos (25) **Hougul (26) **Gilom (27) **Pain (28) **Derical (30) **Zolbas (31) **Baruruka (37) **Doron (38) **Damus (39) **Zolte (40) **Kaage (42) **Gouda (43) **Zados (38-44) **Daros (45) **Galga (46) **Jigura (47) **Zuune (49) **Daryl (52) **Maze (53) **Girath (54) Arsenal Mecha Episodes Songs *'Opening': Dengeki Sentai Changeman *'Ending': Never Stop Changeman *'Mecha Theme (Change Robo)': Fight! Change Robo *Kagayake! Changeman *Love Forever *We Can Change *Great Passion ~Jounetsu no Arashi~ *Mermaid and Phoenix *Earth Force, Shukumei no Hoshi *Wakasa de Changeman *Pinch wa Chance da, Changeman Cast * : * : * : * : * : * : *Officer Suzuki: *Officer Shoji: *Officer Watanabe: *Officer Nomoto: *Officer Kikuchi: *Icarus' mother: Hiroko Nishimoto (episode 41) *Nana: , *Sakura: Sachiko Shigeno * : * ; Voice of Maze: * : * : **Shiima (Voice): * : **Star King Bazeu (Voice): * : * : * : * : *Narrator: Nobuo Tanaka Guest Stars *Saga (ep 19): Tsutomu Kitagawa *Nana's Adoptive Mother (eps 32-33): Yuriko Hishimi *Aira (ep 45): Youko Nakamura Stunts *ChangeDragon: Kazuo Niibori *ChangeGriffon: Koji Matoba *ChangePegasus: Tsutomu Kitagawa *ChangeMermaid: Masato Akada *ChangePhoenix: Yuichi Hachisuka *Star King Bazoo: Kazuto Kuwabara *Gyodai/Change Robo: Hideaki Kusaka *Gator: Minoru Watanabe Crew *Directors: **Minoru Yamada, Takao Nagaishi, Nagafumi Hori *Writers: **Hirohisa Soda (main writer), Kunio Fujii, Kyoko Sagiyama *Action Director: **Junji Yamaoka, Ryojirou Nishimoto Stage Shows * Changeman Stage Show at Super Hero Korakuen Yuenchi Notes *This is the first to have a Yellow Ranger as a 7th ranger *Izumi Shiro (Yuma Ozora) would later portray Burai (DragonRanger) in the 1992 Sentai series Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger. *Change Mermaid is the first female White Ranger. *The working title of this series was "Uchuu Sentai (Space Squadron) Cosmoman", the tag-line of which would be used for Kyuranger, and the show was originally going to have a space exploration motif. While it was changed to a military motif at the end, traces of the original motif are still evident in the design of the Change Robo and the Shuttlebase, not to mention the fact that the villains are space aliens. The team was also contemplated into being "Chikyuu Sentai" (Earth Squadron); this would later be the tag-line for Fiveman. **The "Dengeki" in Changeman's tag-name is the exact-same as in J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai, thus making it the second and final time in Sentai history two teams shared the same tag. (after Denshi) *This is the only Sentai series to have two specifically made movies, theatrical or otherwise, devoted specifically to its team. All other series either had no movie, one movie, one or more of their films being a theatrical showing of a TV episode (or, in'' '''Flashman's case, an edit of several episodes), or, post Kakuranger, one or two of the films being team-ups with either their predecessors or successors, sometimes team-ups being the team's only movies. *This is the second longest Sentai Season after ''Himitsu Sentai Gorenger; the reason is due to the next Sentai was running behind in initial filming. **Due to this, Changeman had a unique start/finish set-up, beginning in February 2, 1985 ('''2/2) and ending February 22, 1986 (2/22). * Their official counterparts in Super Megaforce ''are given the name Blitz. * This is the only season until ''Ninninger and Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger to have a female White Ranger and a Pink Ranger in the core team.